Troubled

FIFTY TWO

KYLE GARCIA

I rang the doorbell for at least hundred times before deciding that the house was indeed empty, or Cora had high tolerance for the noise. I ran my palm over my face in frustration.

How was I supposed to find someone who clearly did not want to be found. Even more so, her phone was with me, what was I supposed to do now?

I dial Xander, he wouldn't know what to do either but two heads were far better than one.

"I take it you still haven't found her?"

I sigh before responding,

"Her house is locked and no one is responding to the doorbell."

"I'm coming over so we can look for her together, where should I go?" He sounded like he was moving.

"I'm at her house, meet me here, just in case someone shows up."

"Okay, next time include me in your school skipping plans, don't just call me when you need help. I deserve some fun too."

I only sigh in agreement. Of course the decision was not solely mine. Even if was, I would have said no, when it was just the two of us it felt like she was a little more relaxed than when she was with other people. I could read her more, she opened up to me better, if Xander were to follow us, she would clamp up and be her nasty self again.

It was about 5:45pm now. I wonder where she was, if she was okay. What went through her mind when she ran away like that? More importantly, what went through her mind when she sliced up someone's face? Did she do it mistakenly? Or on purpose? What if it was on purpose? What if she knew what she was doing when she picked up a scissors and did that to a fellow human? What more could she do? What if it was me in that situation?

A knock on my window shook me out of my thoughts. It was Xander. He was grinning at me. I lowered the window.

"You drove here?"

"Yeah, but we can use your car." He was already jogging towards the other side of the car, where Cora was sitting few hours ago. It felt like a sin for someone to sit there. I almost tell him to sit at the back, but I don't, I didn't want to be weird.

"So, give me updates, how long have you been looking for her? How long have you staked out her waiting for her?"

He fired the questions as soon he buckled the seat belt.

"A few hours actually. We were far out of town when she ran away. I've been sitting here for quite a while now."

"Did you say something to make her mad again?"

I raise a brow when I look at him. He raised his hands up in mock surrender.

"You did it the last time, I just wanted to make sure."

I don't even consider telling him. It was a crazy story, who would believe? Plus, it was Cora's story to tell, I won't be the guy that goes around telling everyone her business.

"I didn't do anything. I brought you here for a purpose. Let's try to find her."

I was itching for a smoke. Actually, since she disappeared, I have been itching for one. But because I had hopes of seeing her, I didn't. I don't want her to see me smoking, I held back each time, in hopes that I was going to see her.

I pull up the floor mat, there it was, my back up for my back up. I put it there ages ago, just in case I needed it. Yes, that's how bad it is, I keep them scattered around me so I had something to use when I was in a bid.

"None of her parents are even back yet."

"Yeah.." I say as I light a stick. It's not like her mother would even care if she was missing, I wasn't going to tell Xander that as well.

"Aha!" He clapped, startling me so bad that the lighter slipped from my fingers to the floor of the car.

"Hey! You're so lucky it was not lit, imagine the fire."

"You know the dangers, and you still smoke in the car?"

I only eye him.

"You had an idea?"

"Yeah, remember that time with her file? You took a picture of her contact information, that's how we knew about her address. Shouldn't her parents phone number be on it as well?"

My brows shoot up into my hair in realization.

"Yeah yeah, let's hope I still have the picture." I say as I fumble with my phone.

"It's here, quick dial the number I'm about to give you." I recite the number of a Maria Philips, I'm assuming that was the name of her mother, the woman who caused her harm.

"It's ringing." He whispers before placing it on speaker.

"Hello?" A familiar voice called, it was low and confused, as opposed to the nervous one that didn't know how to handle her own daughter.

I removed all the snark from my voice as much as possible.

"Good day Ma'am, this is Kyle speaking, a friend of your daughter. I'm with another of our friend, we haven't seen Cora, and we are wondering if you knew where she would be."

"Oh, Cora's friends?" She sounded really confused. Like she didn't believe Cora had any friends. Wow, the faith she has in her daughter is astounding.

"Yes, her friends." I put a little too much stress on the word friends.

"Oh, uhm. I have no idea, I'm actually at a book club. I won't be home in a while, have you tried calling her?"

I almost roll my eyes.

"No, not really. Because we are with her phone." I couldn't stop the snark from coming out in the end. Xander looked at me with wide eyes.

"Oh, uhm. You can try going to her Nana's place. I'll text you the address. Did you get my number from her phone?"

I meet Xander's eyes. We didn't think of going through her phone, both of us mirrored one look. We were kind of dumb.

"Yes, yes we did." I squeak out. I wasn't about to tell her the creepy methods I employed.

She doesn't say anything else and disconnected the call.

The text with the address comes in a few seconds later. It was going to be a long drive.